Ansers in the Silence
by LoveLikeElena
Summary: Takes place after Stitchers 2.0. The team must race against time to save a litle girl's life. But what happens when they're only witness to solving this case is a litle girl who is trapped by silence? R/R
1. Chapter 1

DISC: IDO NOT own any of the characters from Stitchers. They belong to their awesome and respective creators!

A/N: This is my first Stitchers story ever. Please be kind. Also, please go easy if I get some visual appearances wrong. I'm blind. Thanks!

"Answers in the Silence"

Chapter 1

Kirsten Clark bolted upright in bed, sweat breaking out on her forehead. Getting her Barings, she glanced down at the place where she had left her phone. Blinking neon lights told her it was 3:45 AM. Lying back down, Kirsten tried to piece together the dream she had been having. More like a nightmare,' she thought as her breathing went back to normal. She had been small, around eight-years-old. Someone had been yelling at her, asking her to talk. To tell them something.

"I know you have the answer!" A harsh male voice shouted.

Kirsten tried to piece the rest of the nightmare together, but it was hard. Forcing herself to calm down, she stood. Shaking at first, she forced herself to move. Going to the kitchen, she made herself a cup of hot chocolate. Sipping from the cup, she sat down on her computer chair. Squeezing her eyes shut, she took deep breaths. Standing once again, she made her way over to the window. Opening it a crack, she breathed in the cool fall air. Finishing her drink, she set the cup in the sink. Grabbing her laptop after re entering her bedroom, she flipped it open. Signing onto facebook, a frown crossed her face. Not finding the person she was looking for, Kirsten closed the computer. Sighing, she laid down again. Pulling a plush panther close, she tried to get back to sleep. The harder she tried, scenes from her nightmare swirled around her mind. Resigning herself to a long night, she pulled the first book she touched off her headboard. Flipping to chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Half blood prince, Kirsten hoped it would put her out.

Meanwhile, across town, in an apartment building, a little girl sat, shivering. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she stared ahead, tears streaming down her face. Clutching a doll close to her chest, she prayed her plan would work. The lady who had brought her here told her she would be safe. She had said Jeanie would take care of her. The little girl had felt safe with Jeanie, but she was still scared. She had been tricked before. Standing, she moved towards the kitchen. Stopping when she heard Jeanie talking, the little girl listened in. Seeing a clock on the wall, she knew it was late at night. Who made phone calls around midnight?

"I don't think she's ready for that yet. Well, I don't. No, she hasn't. You need to give her time. Kiana's just a little girl. Tomorrow might be better. Okay, fine. Talk to you then."

Kiana shivered again. She was also confused. Why was Jeanie trying to protect her? Nobody had ever done that for her before.

"Hey, sweetie. Are you hungry?" Jeanie walked over to her and knelt down.

Kiana nodded.

"Okay, let's have some warm milk and a cookie. Would you like that?"

Kiana nodded. She didn't take Jeanie's offered hand though. Following her to the kitchen, she put her doll down on a chair. Going over to the sink, she washed her hands. Joining Jeanie at the counter, she pulled a cup from a basket.

******

The next morning, Kirsten yawned as she glanced down at her phone.

"Hey, you okay, kitten?"

Kirsten looked up to see Linus staring at her.

"Yeah. I didn't get much sleep last night. I had this really weird nightmare."

Linus sat down beside her.

"Care to share? I'm all ears."

Kirsten managed a tiny smile.

"No thanks. I'll be okay." At Linus's raised eyebrow, Kirsten shook her head in defeat. "The truth is, I'm still trying to figure out all these new emotions. I'm not used to them. To be honest, I'm scared."

Linus frowned.

"It's okay to be. You've never had to deal with them before. If you ever need to talk, I'm here for you. So is Cameron, Camille…we've got your back."

Kirsten nodded.

"Thanks."

Just then, a knock at the door cut their conversation short.

"Come in," Linus called.

Maggie pushed the door open.

"We got a new sample in. Let's get to work."

"Yes, boss!" Linus saluted her, making Kirsten smile again. Following him into Stitchers HQ, Kirsten felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe she would be okay after all.

******

"Her name was Alana Martin. She was 31. Cause of death was a gunshot to the chest."

Kirsten frowned as she gazed down at the woman she would soon be stitching into.

"She has bruises on her neck and arms," she softly realized.

Maggie nodded.

"Words someone beat her before shooting her."

"Oh God," Kirsten breathed. Swallowing hard, she steeled herself for what she was about to see.

"You up for this, stretch?" Cameron asked. He reached over and patted Kirsten's shoulder.

"Yeah," she replied. She made direct eye contact so he knew she was telling the truth.

"Okay," Cameron pulled away. Glancing down at his monitor, he punched in a few buttons. "I need go, no go on medical…"  
"Go," a woman replied.

"Engineering?" Cameron asked.

"Go," Linus replied.

"Lights?"

"Go."

They went through the rest of the check list while Kirsten tried to focus her mind.

"Okay, a final go no, go, kitten," Cameron turned to Kirsten.

"Go," she said.

"Okay. Initializing stitch Nero sink on my mark. 1, 2, 3…"

Kirsten's mind was suddenly flooded with images and sounds. Taking a minute to acclimate herself, she took in her surroundings.

"Kirsten, talk to me," Cameron coaxed.

"I'm in a house. Alana is talking to a man. He's shouting at her. He's saying she knows where something is. She's insisting she doesn't know. She's backing up. He's coming at her. He just…aah!" Kirsten felt the first blow.

"What is it? Kirsten!" Cameron shouted.

"Uh…um...Alana's begging him to let her go. Begging him not to…aah! He just slammed her head into a wall…I…I'm feeling dizzy…"

"Do you wanna bounce?" Cameron asked.

Kirsten took a deep breath.

"Na-no. I think I'm okay. Okay, I'm in another part of the house. It looks like a child's bedroom. There's a little girl peeking out of a closet. She looks scared. She's holding a doll. I can't see what it is. Her mother just came in."

"Ana, it's okay. He's gone," Alana put her arms around her daughter.

"She's hugging her, telling her she's safe. She told her she'd protect her. This has to be before or after that beating because Alana was in no shape to move. Oh…oh…something's…something's happening. I'm getting snatches of sound, but I can't make it out. It's like what happened in Turner's stitch…oh God…I don't feel so…I need to..."

"Kirsten, I'm bouncing you," Cameron told her.

"IheartLinus," Kirsten said between painful breaths. The moment she came out of the stitch, she felt Cameron's hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay? Hey, look at me," Cameron gently, but firmly ordered. "Take a deep breath."

Kirsten tried, but it was hard. She swallowed while pointing to the trashcan near Camille's work station.

"I feel like…I'm gonna…"

"Got it," Linus pulled it over and Cameron helped Kirsten steady herself.

"I…I don't feel good at all," Kirsten shakily revealed right before heaving.

"Shh, shh, it's okay. You'll feel better soon," Cameron soothed. "I got you. I'm here."

Kirsten nodded just before heaving again. She vomited twice before she was able to find relief. She sipped slowly from a can of sprite Linus handed her.

"Just try to relax, Kirs," Cameron instructed. He helped her lie back down.

"I'm worried," Linus said in an undertone to Camille. "This is the second time Kirsten's done this. She's never thrown up after stitching."

"Kirsten?" Maggie was trying to be as patient as she could under the circumstances.

Kirsten glanced in her direction while trying not to vomit again.

"You said a man bashed Alana's head against a wall."

Kirsten nodded. A mistake she realized a minute later as her stomach rebelled again. She welcomed Cameron's help and concern as he steadied her for a second time.

"Did he say what he wanted?" Maggie asked. When Kirsten didn't answer right away, she persisted, "Did he?"

"Maggie give Kirsten a minute, would you?" Cameron glared at her. Turning back to his best friend, his tone completely changed. "Are you okay?"

"For now," Kirsten replied. She lay back down, taking deep breaths all the while. "I think he mentioned some type of key."

"An actual concrete key or a number?" Maggie asked.

"I…I'm not sure," Kirsten caught her breath.

"Are you okay?" Cameron rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah. My stomach's feeling better. I just have a small headache."

"Did you eat anything this morning?" Linus interjected.

"Yeah. I had a bagel and some fruit," she replied.

"Until we figure out what's making you toss your cookies during random stitches, try not to eat too much in the morning," Linus suggested.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Camille chimed in, "but I agree with him."

Kirsten managed a tiny giggle.

"We need to talk to the little girl," Kirsten said, getting back on track.

"Did you catch her name?" Maggie sat down on a stool next to Kirsten.

"Ana, I think. It might be short for something else. Like Anastasia or…" Kirsten's voice trailed off as she tried to remember. "I think I saw her name on a notebook on a table in her room. I think it said Kiana."

"Okay. Let's start with that. Camille, see if you can find where Kiana's living. Alana didn't have many close relatives, so I'm guessing she's in foster care. See if you can track down the family she's with."

"What can I do?" Kirsten asked. She was still feeling bad, but she wanted to help.

"Get better. Take the rest of the day off," Maggie ordered.

"No way! I'm a part of the team too," Kirsten glared at her.

"And we need you well," Maggie countered.

"Mags is right," Cameron agreed. "I'll even stay with you for a little while."

"All night," Maggie interjected. "I want someone with you until we figure this out."

"I don't need a baby-sitter," Kirsten bristled.

Cameron looked hurt.

"I'm worried about you, Kirs. I wanna make sure you're okay."

Kirsten softened.

"I know. I'm sorry. Of course you can hang out with me."

Cameron grinned.

"All right, let's get you home," with that, he helped Kirsten to her feet. Wrapping an arm around her, he guided her out of the lab. Glancing worriedly at her as he drove them back to her place, Cameron prayed she would be okay. He didn't know what he would do if anything happened to her.

Arriving back at Kirsten's place, Cameron stopped the car.

"Do you need help getting out," he asked.

"I'll be okay," Kirsten insisted. Standing, she swayed a little. Bracing herself against the car, she put a hand to her forehead.

Hurrying around, Cameron grabbed her before she could fall.

"I gotcha. Let's get you upstairs."

"Thanks," Kirsten whispered.

"No problem," Cameron lead her to the door.

Handing over her keys, she let him open the door.

"What about the car?" She asked as he helped her into bed.

"I'll go and close it once you're settled. Do you have a trashcan around here?" He asked.

"There's a bowl in the cabinet that'll work," she closed her eyes. Pulling Bagheera close, she willed the pain in her head to stop.

"I'm setting it down on your nightstand," Cameron explained. Glancing down, he smiled. "I didn't know you liked the Jungle Book. Bagheera is awesome!"

Kirsten smiled.

"It's my favorite Disney movie besides the Little Mermaid. I like other movies too of course."

"I'm not judging you," Cameron assured her. "I just said I love Jungle Book. I'll be right back. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah," Kirsten replied.

Cameron frowned before turning around and leaving the apartment. He closed the door behind him. Going to the car, his mind swirled with questions. The one that wouldn't leave him spun around like a cyclone. Would Kirsten be okay? Getting to the car, he was about to close the door when something on the passenger's seat caught his eye. Getting closer, his heart melted. A jet black kitten sat there, staring at him with piercing emerald eyes. Her nose was pink and her paws were white as snow.

"Hey there, cutie. Where did you come from, huh?" Holding out a fist to her, he was rewarded by sniffing and a lick. "Will you let me pick you up?" he slowly extended his hands. Scooping the feline up, he hugged her close. The kitten started purring immediately. "Kirsten's gonna love you. Come on. Maybe you can help her feel better," with that, he closed and locked the car door. Getting back upstairs, he closed and locked the door. Entering the bedroom, he found Kirsten fast asleep. Making sure she was warm enough, he entered the kitchen. Searching through Kirsten's cabinets, Cameron only felt partially guilty. After all, he was looking for food. Finding a can of tuna, he pulled it down. Finding a silent can opener, he opened the can. The minute it was open, the cat started meowing. She rubbed up against Cameron's legs, purring and chirping.

"I know, you want this, huh? Okay, here we go, sweetie," with that, Cameron set the plate down. Spotting a small bowl, he put some water in it. Setting it next to the food, he patted the cat's head. "Eat up. I'm gonna go check on Kirsten," with that, he re entered the bedroom. Sitting in a chair near her bed, he watched her sleep. Glancing at her headboard, he saw a book lying there. Pulling it down, he grinned. "All right," he softly cheered, "Hogwarts, here I come," with that, he started to read. He was halfway through chapter 3, when he felt something jump onto his lap. He reached down and scratched the kitten behind the ears. "Hey. Did you enjoy your lunch?"

The cat responded by purring. She jumped from Cameron's lap to the bed. Curling up next to Kirsten, she rested a paw on her shoulder before falling asleep. Cameron smiled. There was no way Kirsten could resist her. And if she couldn't keep her for some reason, Cameron would gladly take her.

******

Kirsten shot up in bed, tears streaming down her face. She tried to gain control of her breathing, but it wasn't easy. She let out a scream of terror.

"Kirsten? Kirs, it's okay. You're not alone," Cameron entered the room and sat down next to her. "What happened?"

"It was just a nightmare," she gasped out. "I…I was back in Kiana's room. I need to stitch back in. There's something I Need to find."

"You need to calm down first," Cameron advised.

Kirsten took another deep breath. She suddenly felt something furry hit her arm. She started. Turning her head, she came face-to-face with a pair of piercing green eyes. "What-where did you come from, pretty girl?" she shakily cooed at the cat.

"I found her in the car," Cameron replied. "I was hoping you would want her."

"I always wanted a cat," Kirsten lamented. She reached out a shaking hand. She was rewarded by a lick and a head butt. "She's adorable."

"What would you name her if you could keep her?" Cameron asked.

Kirsten didn't have to think hard.

"Annabelle," she replied.

Cameron raised his eyebrows.

It's a character from a movie I Loved as a kid. It's called A Simple Wish."

"Okay," He replied. "Are you hungry?"

"A little," she admitted.

"Do you want some soup?"

"I was thinking Chinese," Kirsten scratched Annabelle behind the ears.

"You have good taste. I'm not getting you anything heavy though," he declared. "While I'm out getting the food, I'll get Annabelle a litter box and some food and a few toys. There's a pet smart near the Chinese place."

"Thanks. I wanna keep her, but we need to make sure she doesn't belong to anyone. And if she doesn't, I need to get her chipped."

"Good idea. We'll call the shelter in the morning," he decided. "I'll be back."

"Okay," Kirsten turned her attention to her new companion. "I don't suppose you can help us solve this mystery, huh?, pretty girl?"

Annabelle responded by kneading Kirsten's blanket before curling up in her lap. Kirsten stroked Annabelle's head and back while letting her thoughts wander. She hoped they would solve this one soon. Something told her Kiana's life depended on it. As she thought of all the little girl had lost, her eyes welled. She let the tears fall, knowing she had to release them. She suddenly felt a rumbling in her lap. Glancing down, she realized Annabelle was purring. The cat raised her head and licked Kirsten's cheek.

"I'm okay, Annabelle. Okay, I'm not. I'm mad that little girl had to lose her mother. It's not right," Kirsten let the remaining tears fall while petting her new friend.

******

Kirsten's eyes opened to sun streaming into her window the next morning. She had vague memories of the night before. She remembered playing with Annabelle, laughing as the cat chased her new wand toy Cameron had bought for her. She remembered talking with Cameron while they ate dinner. She had a fleeting memory of Cameron insisting on reading her Harry Potter. She gave in, only to discover Cameron enjoyed doing voices way too much. He especially loved doing Dumbledore and Hagrid. He was actually good at it.

Sitting up, Kirsten stretched. She felt Annabelle head butt her shoulder.

"Morning, pretty girl," she scratched her behind the ears. "When I get home from work, we'll get you checked out and make sure nobody's looking for you. If they aren't, this'll be your new home. What do you think?"

Annabelle responded by purring while head butting Kirsten's arm.

"I'll take that as a yes. Let's get you fed and I'll get some hot chocolate," Kirsten got out of bed. Standing, she brushed her blonde hair before putting it in a ponytail. Entering the kitchen, she nearly jumped when a male voice addressed her.

"Morning. Did you sleep okay?"

"Yeah. So what's for breakfast? I can at least have a bagel, right?"

"Sure. Everyone at work is just concerned about you, that's all," Cameron came over and patted her shoulder.

Annabelle mewed, winding her way in and out of Cameron's legs.

He chuckled.

"Are you feeling left out?" he bent down and scooped the cat up. Scratching her behind the ears, he handed her to Kirsten.

Kirsten cuddled her close and was rewarded by Annabelle putting her head on her shoulder.

"Awww! Someone loves their Mommy," Cameron cooed.

Kirsten blinked hard at the title.

"I'm not her Mom yet," she said.

"Are you okay?" he could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's get breakfast and get ready for work. I'll feed this pretty girl," with that, she put food in Annabelle's cyan food bowl. Refilling her water, she pet her before standing. Making her own cocoa, Kirsten took small bites of the bagel Cameron had made her. Glancing out of the window, she had a feeling it was going to be a long day…


	2. Chapter 2

DISC: IDO NOT own any of the characters from Stitchers. They belong to their awesome and respective creators!

"Answers in the Silence"

Chapter 2

"Well, she looks extremely healthy," the vet stated. She rubbed Annabelle's ears and received purring in return.

"That's great! Are you sure she's a girl?" Kirsten stroked the cat's back.

"I'm sure," the woman replied. "She's not chipped though."

"Can we get her done? I don't wanna lose her."

"Of course. First time cat parents get a discount. Fifty percent off. It only costs thirty dollars."

Kirsten nodded.

"Does it take long?"

"Not at all. Only a few minutes. I'll be right back," with that, the vet left.

"Well, pretty girl, it looks like you're mine," Kirsten rubbed Annabelle's neck. Cameron had brought her a blue collar with snowflakes on it. Kirsten was going to get her a license that afternoon after work. She had already gotten her shots, so she already had her rabies tag.

Annabelle went to jump off the table, but Kirsten was too quick.

"Where do you think you're going, pretty girl?" she scooped her up and gave her a hug.

"Merro!" Annabelle answered.

"We're not leaving quite yet," Kirsten scratched the cat behind the ears.

Once Annabelle was chipped, Kirsten put her back in the carrier she had bought for her. Arriving back home, Kirsten got Annabelle set up with a clean litter box and played with her for a while. She was just putting the toy away when her cell phone rang. She picked it up and pressed it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," Camille answered. "Linus has something to tell you. He would have called, but his phone was stolen by a dog."

"What!" Kirsten tried not to laugh.

"I'll let you talk to him."

"Hey kitten," Linus answered.

"Hey, dude. What's up?" Kirsten asked.

"I got the name of the people taking care of Kiana. Jeanie Matthews and her husband, Mike. They live on Elm street. It's a nice neighborhood. Jeanie's a pediatrician and Mike works for the government."

"Okay. Thanks! I'll call Cameron and we'll go right over."

"Not quite yet. Maggie wants you to stitch back into Alana," Linus informed her.

"I'll be right there. I think I missed something last time anyway. See you in twenty," with that, she hung up the phone. "Well, Annabelle, it looks like I'm off to work. I'll be back soon."

Annabelle wound around Kirsten's legs, purring.

"Aw, I'm gonna miss you too, pretty girl. But I'll be back," she scratched her behind the ears and stroked her back and head. Grabbing her keys and purse, she made sure Annabelle had food and water. Putting the radio on for her, she left the apartment.

*****

"Hey," Kirsten greeted Cameron the minute she walked into the lab.

"Hi. Are you up for this?"

"Yeah. Why not? Besides, I need to figure out what that key thing is."

Cameron nodded.

"How's Annabelle?"

"Good. She was upset when I left. I left the radio on for her and told her I'd be back," Kirsten got ready to stitch in as she spoke.

"What did I miss?" Linus asked, joining them.

"Kirsten got a cat," Cameron revealed.

"Better you than me," Linus shook his head.

"She's a sweetheart," Kirsten told him. "her name is Annabelle."

Linus nodded just as Maggie and Camille joined them.

"Who got a cat?" Camille asked.

"Kirs did," Cameron replied.

Camille nodded.

"Can I Meet her? I love cats!"

Kirsten nodded while raising her eyebrows. She hadn't pegged Camille as a cat person.

"Her name's Annabelle."

"While I'm sure she's adorable, it's time to focus," Maggie said. Despite her tone, the corners of her lips were twitching.

Kirsten nodded.

"Kirsten, we need you to give us as much detail about the key as possible," Maggie instructed.

"Got it," Kirsten took a deep breath.

"If you get into any trouble, just say the word and I'll bounce you, okay?" Cameron reminded her.

"Okay," Kirsten replied.

"I mean it, Kirs. I'm here for you."

"I know," Kirsten reached out a hand and clasped Cameron's. Pulling away, she got in position.

"Okay, I need a go no go on medical," Cameron got down to business.

"Go," the woman replied.

"Engineering?" he went on.

"Go," Linus answered.

"You ready, Kirs?" Cameron made direct eye contact with her.

"As I'll ever be, " she replied.

"Okay. Initializing Stitch Nero sync on my mark. 1, 2, 3, go!"

Kirsten took a minute to adjust as sounds and images flooded her mind.

"Talk to me, Kirs," Cameron said in her ear.

"I'm back in Kiana's bedroom. It's nighttime. She can't sleep. She's huddled in a corner, crying. Alana just came in. She's tucking her in bed. She's sitting with her until she falls back to sleep. Okay, the guy just burst in. He's yelling about the key again…"

"What is he saying?" Cameron asked.

"He's saying he won't stop until he gets it. Alana's begging him not to hurt Kiana. She's shielding her…the man just struck Alana."

"Mama! Stop hurting her!" Kiana begged.

"Kiana's trying to stop him from hurting her Mom. Oh God!"

"What's going on?" Cameron demanded.

"He just shoved her across the room. She hit her head on something. He's going back to Alana. Okay, now I'm in another memory. Alana's on the phone with someone. She's talking about the key again. She's reading out a number. 6, 2, 5, 7, 3…oh…the same thing's happening again…I can't make out anything…just swirls of color and distorted sound. I'm feeling dizzy…"

"Kirs, I'm gonna try to take you to another memory. Just hang on," Cameron instructed.

"I'm not sure I can…I'm feeling as bad as…I have to bounce…IheartLinus…" Kirsten gasped for breath as she came out of the stitch. She tried to sit up, but it only made her feel worse. Swallowing, she felt her stomach twist. "I need the…" her voice trailed off as she started to heave. She felt Cameron steadying her as she lost the contents of her stomach.

"its okay, it's okay, Kirs, listen to me, we're gonna figure this out," Cameron assured her.

Kirsten's response was to lean over the trash can and vomit again.

Cameron frowned as he helped her lie back down.

"She's shaking," he reported to the others. Putting a hand to her forehead, his frown grew. "She's really warm."

Kirsten suddenly sat up again. She doubled over in pain. Swallowing, she started to heave again.

"I…don't get it…" her voice trailed off as she suddenly lost whatever was left in her stomach. "…why is this happening?'

"I don't know," Cameron had had a determined look in his eyes. "But we're gonna find out. Are you okay?"

"No," Kirsten shakily whimpered. She suddenly felt her eyes welling. Turning away, she let out a sob. Feeling Cameron pull her close, she buried her face in his chest, heart wrenching sobs wracking her form. "I'm scared…I'm so scared. I wanna help Kiana, but it's so hard! She shouldn't have lost her…Mom like that! It's not fair! We both lost our..she's just a…I was so…" her words gave way to sobs that shook her body.

All Cameron could do was hold her and whisper soothing words into her ear. He didn't have the answers. He wished he could take all of her pain away, but he knew that wasn't possible.

"We need that key," Maggie whispered. She wasn't trying to be inconsiderate. She could see Kirsten was in pain. But she also knew time wasn't on their side.

Cameron nodded.

"Kirs, I need you to take a deep breath. Come on, you can do it."

Kirsten tried, but only succeeded in gasping for air as more sobs escaped.

Cameron didn't give up though.

"You can do this. Breathe with me. In and out…in and out…"

Kirsten tried a second time. She finally succeeded the third time.

"That's it, good girl…again?" Cameron requested.

Kirsten did so. Once her breathing was under control, she just rested in Cameron's arms, trying to block out everything around her.

"Kirsten?"

Maggie's voice sounded like it was coming from a long tunnel.

"Huh?" she opened her eyes. She went to move, but Cameron stopped her.

"Just stay put. You need to rest."

"Kirsten, do you remember the key?" Maggie asked.

"It was 6, 2, 5, 7, 3," Kirsten replied.

"There has to be more than that," Maggie frowned.

"That's all she said," Kirsten tiredly answered. She suddenly sat up again.

"Do you need the trash can?" Cameron looked worried.

"Not yet," Kirsten turned to Maggie. "There was a piece of paper in front of her she was reading off of before everything got scrambled," Kirsten laid back down, willing the nausea to go away.

"Do you think if you stitch back in you'll be able to see it?" Maggie asked.

"Possibly," Kirsten said wearily.

"Not again today," Cameron stated. "She needs to rest. She's been through enough."

"I agree," Linus interjected.

Maggie sighed.

"Later tonight we try again," she said. "In the meantime, Kirsten you need to rest at home for a few hours. After you feel better, why don't you," she pointed to Kirsten, "and Camille go visit the Matthews'. See if you can get Kiana to talk."

"Do you think she will?" Kirsten mumbled, completely exhausted.

"We'll never know unless we try," Camille grinned. "But you better take Cameron. I'm not a kid person."

"I'll go," Linus volunteered.

"I need you to stay here and help me with something." Maggie stated. "The girls can handle this."

"I'm warning you now, this will not be pretty," Camille insisted.

Maggie glared at her.

"Fine," Camille huffed.

Kirsten let Cameron help her up after she had rested for the next half an hour. She had been able to keep down some sprite, which made Cameron happy. As they left, Kirsten turned to Linus.

"How did you lose your cell phone to a dog?" she inquired.

Linus grinned.

"Let's just say if you're being chased by a dog while riding a bike, never try getting away by speeding down a hill. My bag fell off of the bike. I grabbed it, and put it in between me and the mutt. He bit it and cracked my cell phone."

"Well at least you weren't hurt," Kirsten said with relief.

"Is that concern I hear, kitten?" Linus smirked.

"So what if it is?" Kirsten shot back.

Linus winked at her.

"Come on, let's get you home," Cameron wrapped an arm around her and the two left the lab.

Arriving back at Kirsten's apartment, Cameron helped her up the stairs. Entering, they were greeted by Annabelle. The cat wound herself around both of them.

"Hey, pretty girl," Kirsten greeted. She rubbed her ears, making Annabelle purr. She crawled into bed and snuggled underneath the covers. She wasn't surprised when Annabelle joined her. "I missed you too," Kirsten assured her.

"Hey, Kirs!" Cameron called from the kitchen.

"Yeah?" she called back.

"Can I make this potpie?"

"Sure," she consented. Yawning, she closed her eyes. The last thing she remembered was Annabelle's tongue licking her cheek. The next thing she knew, she was fast asleep…


End file.
